17 Years Later, 2010's Best Western Movie Is Finally Coming to Netflix

The Western genre has been around almost as long as cinema itself. The birthplace of the classic Western can be considered 1903, when the silent film Great Train Robbery was released. Since then, legends of the Wild West have been captivating audiences for over 100 years, with varying degrees of success.

During this time, many great actors and directors have worked with the genre. John Ford, Clint Eastwood, Charles Bronson and even Akira Kurosawa – these names are inseparable from movies about cowboys. But cinema is constantly evolving, and the Western, as its oldest representative, never stands still.

The Original Movie is a True Western Classic

The original 3:10 to Yuma released in 1957 was directed by Delmer Daves from a story by author and screenwriter Elmore Leonard. It turned out to be one of the best Westerns in the history of world cinema, which is inferior only to the cult films of Sergio Leone and classics like The Treasure of the Sierra Madre and The Wild Bunch.

Director James Mangold, who also directed Girl, Interrupted, took on the task of remaking 3:10 to Yuma in a new way. And this is a rare case of a remake being a worthy successor to the original.

What is 3:10 to Yuma About?

Crippled rancher Dan Evans (Christian Bale) is hired by notorious outlaw Ben Wade (Russell Crowe) to drive the criminal to the train station to pay off creditors who are threatening to take his land.

Wade's gang plans to rescue their leader before he is put on a train to be executed, making Evans' mission not only lucrative, but extremely dangerous. In addition, Dan's eldest son William (Logan Lerman), who considers his father a failure, is tagging along, making Evans even more determined to get the job done, no matter the cost.

James Mangold's Film is a Worthy Successor to the Original

James Mangold didn't just remake the classic Western with big modern stars, he created a completely original work of art from it. The movie is built like a labyrinth, and instead of genre clichés, it offers a thoughtful conversation about heroism and cowardice.

There is practically no shooting in the movie, and most of the action takes place indoors in some godforsaken place. And the most important thing that happens in this story is contained in a miserable room, where the farmer Dan, exhausted by years of drought, and the gang leader Ben, whom he guards, sit face to face before being put on a three-hour train to Yuma, where justice must be done.

3:10 to Yuma is Coming to Netflix

One of the best Westerns of the 21st century will soon be available on Netflix – you can watch the movie on the platform on September 1.